10 things of interest #20
coconut crepes, drugstore skincare and getting old
Welcome to this month’s roundup—a mix of deep dives, laugh-out-loud moments, and little joys worth savouring. We’ve got an inside look at how Benny Blanco produces some of the biggest pop hits, a hilarious recounting of a singles party by Rosana S, and a couple of recipes (coconut crepes, anyone?). Plus, I may have spiralled into a skincare obsession in the lead-up to my wedding, but at least I found some budget-friendly gems to share. And finally, an inspiring take on building community—one Saturday dinner at a time.
Hope you find something in here that sticks with you.
This Benny Blanco interview explores how he produces some of the biggest pop songs. He takes you inside the process of making hit records, breaking down the original demos of his most iconic songs.
Rosana S never fails to make me laugh. In “I attend a singles party,” she recounts her time at the party and as always the characters in her life are hilarious. Think a heart-shaped lock and key event, a comical song performer, and shouted small talk.
A recipe for coconut crepes by
, which sounds like the perfect Sunday morning breakfast. Or any morning, for that matter. Crepes all day, every day.In “love, love, love and everything in between,” Cyhaaam writes a deeply introspective piece on love, longing, and the fear of losing oneself in love. She expresses an all-consuming way of loving—how love shapes her very being, turns absence into something tangible, and makes her question her intensity. I love this quote from her, “I write about love not because I understand it, but because I don’t. Because it undoes me. Because I still believe in it, even when I don’t know how to hold it.”
Kim Foster, writer of
, wrote a stunning piece “On Getting Old,” which I have re-read twice. Kim recounts past confidence in her body’s resilience during her 40s, then describes how menopause became a turning point in her life, much like puberty, signalled an inevitable transformation. She comments on how she and her husband are living The Last Third of their lives, investing in high-quality healthcare, making lifestyle changes, and planning meaningful adventures. She sees this stage not as a decline but as an opportunity to live richly and fully—perhaps even making it the “best third” of life.This poem by
, whose writing I adore for her authenticity and rawness.In “being useful won’t save you,”
completes a raw and self-reflective exploration of people-pleasing, self-worth, and the journey toward unlearning the need to be constantly “useful” to be loved. Her quote, here, almost brought me to tears: “in fact, isn’t it romantic, sexy even, to grind my bones to sawdust and move mountains without expecting a ‘thank you’? let me provide, despite the sacrifice. let me extend myself as far as i can, so you can use my body as a hammock. let me dispense good deed after good deed even if i might fucking hate it because i’m terrified i might be cast aside if i don’t.”As we all sometimes do, I fell down a skincare rabbit hole a couple of weeks ago, obsessing over the state of my skin and how to make it better, especially as B and I enter what I’m dubbing “The Last Stretch” — the 10-week run up to our wedding in June. I watched endless videos from both dermatologists to make-up folk on what to invest in. One thing I knew is I didn’t want to overspend because I truly don’t believe super expensive products are that much better. I stumbled upon
from Small Joys on the list of drugstore beauty items that are worth having and loved this roundup.In “Everyone's lonely but no one can hang out,”
wrote about her husband’s resolution to host dinner every Saturday and while it initially was hard to set up, the goal was “to make it easy for people to say yes. If they aren’t free this Saturday, great, we’re hosting again next Saturday. Aren’t free then? Good news, there are more Saturdays.” The concept is brilliant as it removes the guilt and shame of not being able to attend, and builds an open community where even if you can only join for an hour or two, that is enough.Chocolate tahini swirl banana bread by
sounds utterly delicious and on my list of things to bake this week.